Archive for the ‘Early Repayment Charges’ Category

When many equity release providers are competing directly in using their lifetime mortgage interest rates, Stonehaven have decided to compete in a different field by taking the bold step of moving away from Gilt-based early repayment charges (ERC’s) & introducing a fixed penalty basis covering the first eight years of the equity release loan.

With effect from 16th March 2015, Stonehaven will move its whole lump sum & interest only lifetime mortgage range of plans over to an 8 year fixed early repayment charge of 5% in the first 5 years, 3% in years 6-8 and none in the 9th year & thereafter.

Background to Equity Release Early Repayment Charges

Due to the nature of the product – ‘Lifetime’ Mortgage, the plans have been designed to run for the rest of the homeowners life. This can create uneasiness for some people taking out equity release schemes in retirement as they cannot always say with certainty what their future plans entail with regards to their property.

Equity release early repayment charges have historically been a mixture of fixed penalty, gilt based, Bank of England base rate related and even long term interest rates called SWAP rates. The majority of equity release schemes across the market today is predominantly linked to government gilts. This can be in the form of an individually selected gilt such as Aviva’s, which is based on the age of the youngest homeowner, or follow an index of gilts such as the FTSE UK Gilts 15 Year Yield Index with Just Retirement.

These gilt related penalties on paper can look extreme given that Aviva can charge upto 25% of the amount repaid dependent upon the gilts yield falling from inception. Additionally, companies such as Just Retirement & Pure Retirement can charge a maximum of 20% of the fall in the FTSE UK Gilts 15 Year Yield Index. Therefore, the nature of gilts leads to uncertainty of their future levels & consequently any prediction regards their future level is unknown & cannot therefore be relied upon for early repayment purposes.

Currently, only one equity release company offers the certainty of knowing exactly what the future penalty could potential be; this company is LV= (Liverpool Victoria). Charging 5% for the first 5 years of the amount repaid & then 3% in the next 5 years, they actually have no early repayment charges after 10 years. This have given them a niche position within the equity release marketplace.

Stonehaven’s Move to Fixed Equity Release Early Repayment Charges

However, LV= equity release now have fresh competition and this is the beauty of where the equity release industry is right now. Competition is driving this market forward and its with such innovations & product development that is going to extend the volume of lending in 2015, to beyond the £14 billion released in 2014.

Stonehaven have been considering this move previously, however with their takeover by MGM, its plans were put on hold. With a new team behind Stonehaven now, they have obviously decided the time is now right to introduce fixed penalty equity release plan to the market. It will be interesting to see how these new fixed ERC’s are perceived. Historically, applying fixed rate early repayment charges can come at a cost and this is usually borne in the equity release interest rate with an extra levy on it.

At present Stonehaven have not indicated any changes to their interest rates with the lowest currently being the Stonehaven Interest Select Lite plan at 5.46% monthly (5.87% representative APR). Therefore, the fixed penalty charges look to have been absorbed into the current equity release deals on record.

So for anyone considering the equity release & uncertain regards whether an equity release scheme will be required over the longer term, the new equity release early repayment charge from Stonehaven could be a viable option to consider. Providing fixed, transparent & easy to understand ERC’s with just 5% penalty in the first 5 years, 3% for the next two & zero after the end of the 8th year, Stonehaven have taken over LV=’s mantle of potentially the best early repayment charging system available in the equity release market today!

Further Information

To learn more about Stonehaven’s range of products attracting the new 8 year fixed penalty, please contact the Equity Release Supermarket team on 0800 783 9652 or email mark@equityreleasesupermarket.co.uk.

Each year the equity release industry celebrates its achievements at the Merchants Taylors Hall with its version of the Equity Release Awards 2014. This year in particular, equity release schemes have been taken out in record amounts & have led to unprecedented growth. This has been for a number of reasons, but primarily the innovation of new equity release plans from the likes of Aviva, Hodge Lifetime & lately Stonehaven.

However, it is the Aviva Flexible Lifetime Mortgage Plan that here at Equity Release Supermarket has seen the greatest impact & has helped many of our clients achieve their retirement goals. It was therefore no surprise that Aviva won the category of Best Lifetime Mortgage provider in 2014. This followed a series of enhancements to their lifetime mortgage plans this year, coupled with the lowest equity release interest rates, currently starting as low as 5.63% (5.83% representative APR).

These successful changes include:

Allowing clients to voluntarily repay up to 10% of the original capital borrowed each year, in up to 4 installments with a minimum of £500 a time.

On joint life equity release cases they now allow the surviving partner to sell their home and repay the scheme without penalty as long as it’s within 3 years of the first person dying or entering long term care.

Thanks to these extra features, Aviva has increased their market share even further but despite winning their equity release award it would be wrong to view their product as the best on the market for everyone. In order to find the best equity release scheme for you it’s important to get independent, whole of market advice from a company like Equity Release Supermarket.

Equity Release Supermarket’s philosophy is to spend valuable time to find out exactly what you’re goals are so that we can recommend the most appropriate scheme based specifically on these requirements. So, once we’ve gathered sufficient information based on your current situation, identified no alternative solutions exist, it is only then that we would enter the realms of recommending equity release schemes.

But how do we work out which equity release scheme is the ‘best’ plan for my clients? We consider a range of factors, such as:

Seven Factors to Help Find the Best Equity Release Plan

Equity release schemes are constantly innovating and keeping up with their progress can be a minefield for those looking for the best equity release plan today. To help provide guidance on understanding the various aspects of equity release plans that can influence this decision, I have provided seven features and areas of research that Equity Release Supermarket advisers would analyze and discuss with you.

Best Interest rates:

There are some excellent online comparison websites such as www.EquityReleaseSupermarket.co.uk where you can compare the best equity release deals in the market at any given time. The equity release comparison sites will currently highlight Aviva as offering some of the lowest interest rates for both drawdown lifetime mortgages and their lump sum counterparts.

However, simply offering the lowest lifetime mortgage interest rate may not make their scheme the ‘best’. Aviva do charge a higher interest rate to access the funds in any cash reserve facility than the initial rate and they cap the reserve amount if you initially release less than 50% of the overall loan amount. This may not therefore be suitable if you are looking to have a maximum cash reserve facility for your future retirement needs.

Therefore, it is down to your equity release adviser to assess & understand what your priorities are in leading to their recommendation of the best equity release scheme for you.

For instance, if you need to take the maximum equity release loan from your property, interest rates tend to be higher than the drawdown lifetime mortgage schemes. Hence, the ‘best’ scheme could depend on any of the other factors names above. The possible reason for the higher interest rate for the maximum equity releases could be the potential of invoking the no negative equity guarantee is likely to be greater the higher the release borrowed. This cost being passed on by way of the higher interest rate to compensate.

Currently, at the time of writing, the lowest lifetime mortgage interest rate is 4.75% (5.10% representative APR) which is the Hodge Retirement Mortgage. If you want to make monthly payments of interest to maintain a level balance, this scheme is excellent but it wouldn’t be the ‘best’ scheme if you don’t want to make any interest payments. As you can see, the lowest equity release interest rate alone does not determine it being the best scheme.

Maximum Equity Release Plans

Equity Release Supermarket would always recommend that you only release the capital that you need, rather than releasing the maximum loan. This one area alone, in assessing the best equity release scheme, can have the greatest influence on the final inheritance for your children or beneficiaries. In fact, this aspect we find is where clients need to be guided carefully by their adviser, as many do not understand the consequences of taking too much equity from their home.

In fact, drawdown lifetime mortgage plans are now the most common form of equity release taken in 2014 & will surely be for equity release 2015 aswell. By taking the home equity plan funds in small staggered amounts, rather than all upfront makes practical sense for your own future balance & the inheritance for your beneficiaries. These drawdowns can be taken in little amounts as an initial £10,000, and then followed by smaller £1,000 tranches from the likes of Hodge Lifetime. This can be utilised to suit any future spending plans as & when they arise.

During my 15 years of advising clients on equity release, one of the most common queries I receive is ‘Can I access further funds?’

Let’s look at an example:

Margaret and Graham are both 70 and live in a bungalow worth £300,000. They want to be able to take regular holidays and buy a new car. In the future they’d like to gradually improve their property and supplement their income. My advice was to take an initial loan of £25,000 and set up a reserve facility. In order to work out the ‘best’ scheme for them we discussed whether the interest rate or the size of the reserve was more important to them. They opted for a larger amount of money on reserve. Therefore, after the initial loan – Pure Retirement offered a cash reserve of £83,000, while the Aviva Flexi Plan with a lower interest rate only offered a reserve of £48,000.The clients therefore opted for the Pure Retirement Drawdown Plan based on the future reserve facility.

Another important factor to a recent client was that she wanted the certainty that the funds available on reserve were guaranteed to be in place. Many lenders do not ‘guarantee’ the future of their drawdown facilities in case of change of circumstances, economic reasons or they just decide not to lend again in the future.

My client was concerned in case the lender withdrew her cash reserve funds in the future. In her circumstances LV= proved to be the best equity release scheme for her as they’re the only company to offer a guaranteed drawdown reserve, which is guaranteed to be in place for a minimum of 15 years.

Best Early Repayment Charges (ERC’s)

Equity release schemes are designed as a lifetime commitment and are not aimed for short term borrowings or people who wish to repay the balance before the plan ends; on death or the last person moving into long term care. That said, there are a growing number of people who would possibly repay their equity release scheme early; due to change in circumstances, future health reasons or maybe family reasons. Therefore the ‘best’ scheme would be one that offered flexibility on early repayment charges over a limited number of years, either none at all or the lowest fixed rate possible if acceptable to the client.

An equity release company plan that has considered the topic of early repayment charges has been Hodge Lifetime. Two of their lifetime mortgage plans have been carefully thought out on this particular subject. The Hodge Lifetime Mortgage Plan allows homeowners the ability to downsize after 5 years of taking their plan & repay their lifetime mortgage with NO penalties. In fact even leading upto this 5 year period, should one downsize the penalty reduces by 1% each year; from 5% down to 0% over this duration.

The second Hodge product that assists with early repayment charges is the Hodge Retirement Mortgage. This product is an interest only lifetime mortgage and has a fixed interest rate for a period of 5 years. The Hodge Retirement Mortgage therefore mirrors this time by aligning the early repayment charges (ERC’s) to match the same term. Subsequently, the early repayment charges are just 5% for the first 5 years of the retirement mortgage term.

Most equity release lenders use government gilts as a measure in working out any potential ERC’s. This means that the early repayment penalty is variable and could be as high as 25% of the initial loan amount. For the standard lifetime mortgage plans, LV= are currently the only company who offer a fixed early repayment charge, which is 5% for the first 5 years and 3% from years 6 to 10. After the 10th year you can repay the scheme without penalty, so this may prove to be the ‘best’ scheme for some clients knowing what their future holds, or the Hodge Lifetime schemes should they have plans for moving house after 5 years.

Equity Release Set Up Costs:

Typically the lowest set up costs doesn’t necessarily mean the ‘best’ plan, although keeping a check & comparing equity release set up costs is important for a number of reasons, particularly to save money! Why pay more to a broker for their advice fee when another company can advise on exactly the same plan, but for a lower cost.

Equity releases set up costs are made up of a series of fees levied by different parties to the equity release process. These consist of the valuation fee, lenders application fee, solicitors’ fees & your adviser’s advice fee.

Valuation fees vary between lenders, however through certain specialist brokers such as here at Equity Release Supermarket there are now many lenders that will offer ‘free’ valuations by process you application through us.

Lender application fees can also vary, with some either being added or deducted from the release. Remember if the application fee is added this will cost more over the long run if the interest is to compound with no repayments made. The Hodge Retirement Mortgage application fee is the highest at £995, but they do offer the lowest interest rate. Pure Retirement offer a cash-back on some of their plans which can cover all of the set up costs, but their interest rate isn’t the lowest. Just Retirement offer one of the lowest admin fees at £500, but not necessarily the lowest interest rate either. As you can see this is an area where careful advice is needed to find the best equity release plan.

Interest & Capital Repayment Options

The major change to equity release schemes in the past few years has been the ability to pay either monthly interest or voluntary interest payments in order to cover some or all of the accruing interest. Again, the lowest interest rate might not equal the best plan.

We have already identified that the Hodge Retirement Mortgage offers the lowest rate, but you need to maintain a fixed monthly payment throughout its whole term. However, companies such as Stonehaven & More2life will offer an interest only lifetime mortgage too. However, rather than the concern of possible repossession should payments not be maintained, both Stonehaven & More2life will allow the switch from monthly payments to roll-up (ceasing payments), thus removing the concern of repossession.

Schemes which offer voluntary repayments, such as the Aviva Flexi, Hodge Lifetime and with effect from 1st December Stonehaven Interest Select range all allow upto 10% capital repayments. They all charge a higher interest rate, but they do include greater flexibility with regards to permitting these 10% voluntary payments.

The Hodge Flexible Lifetime Mortgage Plan & Aviva offer these schemes, and have now been joined by Stonehaven. Having a flexible approach has proved a popular way forward for many that wish to retain control over their future balance. These voluntary repayment lifetime mortgages can be planned so that either just the interest is repaid, thus keeping the balance level, or repaying the full 10% and actual seeing the mortgage balance reducing & even repaid over a period of 16-17 years!

Health & Lifestyle Factors

Your health & lifestyle won’t affect your eligibility for equity release but can actually improve the amount you receive, or the interest rate you obtain! There are currently four equity release companies that offer enhancements to their schemes.

More2life & Partnership Assurance specialise in enhanced lifetime mortgages, however they may not be the ‘best’ plans as the interest rates are often higher. However, this for some retirees interest rates may not be priority, but the maximum equity release lump sum is. Aviva also offer enhanced lifetime mortgages and can either offer a higher maximum release on its Lump Sum Max plan or alternatively reduce their interest rate, if the maximum is not required & taken on their drawdown flexi plan. Depending on your health criteria, some lending may not accept certain ailments. However, certain enhanced lifetime mortgage companies such as Just Retirement, will go deeper into their health & lifestyle questionnaire & consider illnesses the others won’t accept.

Inheritance guarantees

It’s sometimes important that my clients can leave a set inheritance for their families and some lifetime mortgage providers, such as More2Life, Aviva & New Life offers such guaranteed inheritance features. The inclusion of these guarantees can impact the interest rate and the amount of capital available, so careful consideration is needed to work out the ‘best’ scheme.

On forgotten equity release scheme that is over looked by many advisers are home reversion plans. Companies such as Bridgewater, New Life & Crown still offer this older form of equity release. Its popularity has waned considerably over the years, however the major benefit of home reversion plans is their ability to guarantee an inheritance at the end of the day. This works by selling a percentage of the property to the reversion company in exchange for a cash lump sum. The proportion of the property not sold is guaranteed to be passed on to the heirs once the house is eventually sold.

Summary

Overall, equity release advice is a specialist area of retirement planning. As we’ve seen there isn’t one scheme which is the ‘best’ on the market or fits all. There are far too many features & personal issues to consider that could have relevance to your recommended equity release plan. Thankfully, there are plenty of different options from many different providers. By receiving quality, bespoke advice from Equity Release Supermarket we can work out the ‘best equity release scheme‘ for you, without any obligation.

If you are looking to source the best equity release scheme for your particular circumstances & in need of specialist advice then please contact me – Mark Rumney on 07957 974826 or email – markrumney@equityreleasesupermarket.co.uk

It has recently come to my attention, having watched my own daughter attempt to buy her 1st property, how difficult it has become for 1st time buyers to fulfil their dreams of becoming a homeowner.

It also occurred to me that EQUITY RELEASE could in fact play a significant role in assisting the “Bank of Mum and Dad” and others in providing funds to enable these dreams to come true.

First some FACTS:

The average age for 1st time buyers is now 29

2/3rds of 1st time buyers now turn to the Bank of Mum and Dad (BoMAD) for help

30 years ago 12% of income was needed for a deposit on a property. Today this is staggering 82%!

The cost of an average house in the UK is 10 times bigger than the average salary rising to 14 times in London

In all but 2 regions in the UK, prices are 7 or more times the average salary for that area (Office of National Statistics)

More than 3.3 million 20-34 year olds were still living with their parents in 2013

Although these figures clearly indicate it is becoming almost impossible for 1st time buyers to get on the property ladder, help could be at hand – YES, from the “Bank of Mum and Dad”

Parents are an obvious first point of call. However with rising living costs, low interest rates and diminishing savings pots, it has become increasingly more difficult for mum and dad to find surplus funds to gift to their children, grandchildren or loved ones, to assist in fulfilling the dream of property ownership.

However, there could be a way to take an early inheritance from parents now in order to benefit 1st time buyers when the money is needed the most!

A special type of retirement mortgage commonly known as Equity Release could potentially unlock cash tied up in a parent’s property. This can enable mum & dad to generate sufficient funds to gift as a deposit on a property purchase for their loved ones.

What is equity release?

Equity release schemes are available in two formats – home reversion & the more popular lifetime mortgage. Both of these equity release schemes enable people who own their main residence to release a percentage of its value in return for a tax-free cash lump sum. These two types of equity release mortgages then run for the rest of your life & only repaid once upon death or moving into long term care.

The equity release scheme known as a lifetime mortgage has proven the most popular due to its flexibility. This has been strengthened this year with providers such as Hodge Lifetime & Aviva both providing an option to repay upto 10% of the original capital borrowed each year. Therefore, control over its final balance, or even repayment of the whole scheme over the longer term could represent a serious possibility, for either parents to pay, or the children themselves!

Lifetime mortgages are available to those aged 55+, with a minimum property value of £60,000. The amount that can be borrowed is not always based on affordability, but on factors such as age & property value. Effectively, the older you are, the greater amount of equity you can release.

Following a release of the equity, the lifetime mortgage company places a first legal charge on the property. This is exactly the same as any conventional mortgage and 100% legal ownership is still retained by the client providing peace of mind.

Typically, someone age 60 could release equity of between 18-25.5% of the value of the property, dependent on the lender concerned. These equity release funds can be spent on anything you like, however a sensible & cautious approach is always advised. Therefore, parents looking to assist their children onto the property ladder, a lifetime mortgage could prove an effective mortgage vehicle to achieve this goal.

Which equity release schemes can help 1st time buyers?

Equity release schemes have become a lot more flexible and innovative these days. You can choose to make NO repayments and have the interest added to the loan which is known as a roll-up lifetime mortgage. The amount borrowed plus any interest accrued is repaid upon sale of the property. This would happen on death (last death if joint plan) or having to go into long term permanent care. Thought must be given here should there be more than one beneficiary. With an increasing balance & possibly reducing net equity figure, consideration must be afforded to any remaining beneficiaries as to what they may potentially receive at the end of the day?

However, there are new repayment versions of equity release schemes that have proven even more popular with parents looking to securely gift money to their children to help with a property purchase.

Interest only lifetime mortgages from Stonehaven & more2life will allow the repayment of just the interest only element. By repaying interest charged each month prevents the loan from increasing and thus remains level for the rest of the mortgagor’s life. This is a great idea when there is more than one child involved. The problem has always been how to separate the gift now, from the overall inheritance at the end of the day if more than one child is involved?

The solution is having an interest only lifetime mortgage. By knowing in advance what the balance will be, this loan amount can be deducted from that child’s share of the inheritance at the end of the day. This would be even fairer for the other siblings, should that child also pay the monthly premiums on behalf of the Bank of Mum & Dad!

NEW -Voluntary partial repayment plans

Equity Release Supermarket now has access to specialist equity release schemes where there is the option to repay up to 10% of the original capital released each year without any early repayment charges. These equity release schemes through Aviva & Hodge Lifetime have proved popular for those not just looking to repay the interest, but also the opportunity to repay the equity release scheme in full over approximately 16-17 years. These voluntary partial repayment equity release schemes are proving to be the next generation of the equity release market.

How is the Bank of Mum & Dad protected?

All the equity release schemes we recommend are members of the Equity Release Council, which means that there are certain guarantees built into them for consumer protection. As a minimum the Equity Release Council will ensure the following guarantees are included:-

The schemes are portable and can be transferred to another qualifying property should you wish to move in the future

There is a no-negative equity guarantee which means a debt cannot be left to your estate even if the value of the property becomes less than the balance of the loan outstanding

You can live in your house for as long as you wish and with a lifetime mortgage you retain full ownership

They can be repaid at any time, subject to potential early repayment charges

Benefits of using Equity Release

Contrary to directly gifting your property to your children, by using equity release to gift instead, would avoid any Capital Gains Tax as the main residence is retained by the client. There could still be a potential Inheritance Tax liability, but only if the client died within 7 years of the gift.

The lifetime mortgage would be a deductible liability against the client’s estate, reducing the value being taxed and although interest would have to be paid on the loan; this could still prove beneficial to both the client and those receiving the gift. Always consult a tax expert on these matters in conjunction with your independent equity release adviser.

Of course let’s not forget the best part of this!

The potential to fulfil the dreams of our loved ones in an age where quite frankly, property purchase is almost becoming nothing more than just a dream for some. The joys of parenthood!

Next Steps…

I would be delighted to offer a FREE initial consultation to discuss any of the above matters relating to how equity release can help your children step onto the property ladder.

These new flexible repayment features provide customers with the ability to manage the future balance of their equity release schemes. However, further additions have been made which are a credit to the forward thinking of Aviva’s hierarchy.

The two further equity release options now included into both plans are the enhanced lifetime mortgage option and an early repayment exemption charge.

Let’s look at each option individually and understand why & how each new feature could potentially benefit future Aviva equity release plan holders.

Enhanced Lifetime Mortgage Option

Previously, only the Aviva Lump Sum Max plan had the enhanced (also known as impaired lifetime mortgage) equity release facility. This means that anyone who has a history, or has medical records indicating they meet a list of qualifying illnesses could benefit from uplift in the maximum equity release lump sum they could receive.

However, Aviva has now put a reverse spin on how this equity release enhancement can work. Rather than the enhancement working to increase the maximum lump sum, they have reversed this by applying a twist on how the enhancement can operate. Therefore, on the revised Aviva Lifestyle Flexi plan now, should illness permit qualification for enhanced terms, then the interest rate will be REDUCED. Consequently, retirees looking for a release of equity & qualify for enhanced terms will receive a lower interest rate than the normal equity release rate.

No enhanced mortgage company has considered this approach previously, so why does Aviva now & how does this work?

Qualification rules for the enhanced lifestyle flexi plan

Firstly, Aviva will request a Health & Lifestyle Questionnaire be completed which will ask questions to ascertain eligibility for enhanced terms. Such health questions include:

Should any of these, or combination of these establish qualification for enhanced rates then a Key Facts Illustration can be generated by your equity release adviser. If terms are then acceptable & an application follows, then as part of the enhanced lifetime mortgage application process Aviva will clarify with your doctor whether your stated health issues are on your medical records. No medical examination will be required.

Whereas previously the minimum rate for the Aviva Lifestyle Flexi was 5.68%, if enhanced terms are available due to ill-health, then the rate can be reduced by a further 0.05% to just 5.63% (rate @1.6.14). Not a significant reduction it may seem, however considering roll-up of the interest and the compounding nature of the future balance this could save your beneficiaries a considerable sum of money in their future inheritance.

Therefore, in summary a lower equity release interest rate can be achieved by qualifying for enhanced terms due to poor health on the Aviva Lifestyle Flexi plan which also comes with the drawdown option. Possibly the best equity release plan in the current marketplace due to the extra low interest rate, cashback of £1000, free valuation, drawdown facility & the strength of the Aviva brand.

*A point to note here is that not all companies offer the same enhanced rates. Check you can at least obtain rates that are independent & NOT from Aviva direct as they will not be lower than companies such as Equity Release Supermarkets.

Early repayment charge exemption

Since I originally advised on Aviva’s equity release plans almost 15 years ago, there has always been a stigma attached to their calculation of early repayment charges which can be upto a maximum of 25% of the original amount borrowed. The link with government gilt rates can be also confusing to many customers when calculating how they work in practice. Nevertheless a qualified equity release adviser should be able to assist with such calculations.

News stories have also highlighted cause for concern with potential early repayment charges. These charges have always been shown on their Key Facts documents, however occasionally situations can arise whereby even the flexible nature of these schemes cannot compensate for some unfortunate scenarios.

One notable example of this was the news story where someone needed to move into long term care with their partner following in order to provide their care in the home. This left them with an empty home and little option other than needing to sell up as they cannot rent out or leave the property unattended. With this being forced on them, they could incur a hefty penalty for repaying the equity release loan early based on the ruling that the partner did not need to move into care aswell.

Welcome changes to Aviva’s early repayment charges

Following examples of unfortunate events as previous which hit the tabloids, Aviva have since changed their plans to account for such scenarios and this is welcomed.

On plans now, the rules have changed should clients with a joint Aviva lifetime mortgage need to repay the loan due to death or moving into a long-term care facility. If such an event occurs Aviva will now allow repayment of the lifetime mortgage free of any early repayment charge. However, the condition is that this is actioned within THREE years of one of the client’s death or the date Aviva is advised that one of the mortgagors requires long-term care.

Therefore, in the above scenario their plight would have be accounted for and NO early repayment charge would be applicable. This will apply to many other people where at such a stressful time, the last thing they wish for is for another penalty to be applied in their lives. A simple concept which can have such alleviating consequences and has therefore to be commended.

It has been a mystery why the UK mainstream banks haven’t fully embraced their traditional image of lenders to the masses, by entering into the realm of equity release schemes. We look at the history of attempts and corresponding results of many high street banks who have previously offered equity release schemes to the over 55’s.

Problems from the start

We start our history lesson back in the 1990’s, when Barclays & Bank of Scotland dreamt up the concept of the Shared Appreciation Mortgage (SAMs) whilst the housing market was quite stagnant. People were looking desperately to get on the housing ladder and it seemed a good buyers market.

These two banks were offering the elderly a mortgage with NO monthly payments; however they would instead take a share in the future rise in the property value. Around 11,000 Shared Appreciation Mortgages were sold of which these unlucky retirees thought would only need to pay back a few thousand pounds.

However, the property boom followed the property slump of the 1990’s, and by 2007 property values had almost quadrupled of which the banks also took their large share. The resultant effect has left many pensioners now unable to sell as they haven’t sufficient equity of their own to move house. The legacy of these schemes still exists today with legal action being taken by some of the unfortunate customers of these banks.

Some have tried and failed

We have seen in the last decade a couple more banks have dipped their toes into the water & failed with lifetime mortgage schemes. Notably one temporary success was NatWest/Royal Bank of Scotland who ventured into lifetime mortgages for a period, but none have ever felt comfortable offering this form of mortgage for the over 55’s.

NatWest/RBS equity release schemes became available in 2006 and were made available to its long time bank customers or retired bank staff. However, by 2009 after much back office investment & a surge in recruitment RBS ran out of funds and closed the whole equity release operation down.

The importance of independence

HSBC offered equity release back in 2006, after tying itself up with a tender from the now dissolved equity release company – In Retirement Services. In Retirement Services were an equity release provider in their own right and funded by private equity firm 3i, but only offered their own products.

This was always considered a strange decision for HSBC at the time to tie themselves with a non-independent equity release company & left the markets bemused. Afterall, why would a major high street bank tie themselves to someone with no independence for its customers?

The relationship ceased and the products were no longer available once In retirement Services went into administration due to funding issues in 2009.

Have Building Societies fared any better?

There has been a history of building societies that have yielded greater success with their own equity release solutions. They have ventured in & out of the market but no building society has remained and stood the test of time. Many building societies have fallen victim to the credit crunch over 3 years ago. This was due to the issues with raising funds on the money markets, and inter-bank lending at the time was virtually suspended.

This left many building societies involved in equity release lending, moving their mortgage book of funds towards the most profitable products such as mortgages which provide greater profit margins that equity release over the shorter term.

Within the last 10 years we have had Northern Rock as a major provider; however we know how the how the market crash affected them & its customers! They are now accepting repayment of their equity release schemes to clear their mortgage books of these old equity release plans.

Northern Rocks early equity release mortgages only had 5 years early repayment charges, so it could be an excellent chance to get a better deal today with the current crop of low interest rate home equity schemes available. (Northern Rock has sold its equity release book now to Papilio UK Equity Release Mortgages)

Other building societies that tried and failed due to the credit crunch were Bristol & West, Saffron Building Society and a notably, although temporary, unique scheme launched by Godiva. They were the first to enter the equity release market with an equity release plan with NO early repayment charges. Unfortunately, again the credit crunch put paid to this, and you would hope a similar product would one day re-enter the lifetime mortgage market; albeit the Hodge Flexible Lifetime Mortgage Plan goes some way to meeting a no redemption penalty equity release plan – see below.

So what types of equity release providers are currently in the UK equity release market?

It seems the secret to success and longevity is to find a niche product with a USP in the equity release market.

Lets consider the current lifetime mortgage providers and the schemes on offer and you can see why…

Provider

Product Name

USP

Aviva

Lifestyle Flexible Option

Lowest interest rate currently in the market.Rates currently start from 5.57% and come with free valuation and cashbacks

Stonehaven

Interest Select Plan

An interest only lifetime mortgage. Monthly payments help maintain a level balance.Great inheritance protection for the children

More2life

Enhanced Lifetime Mortgage

Offers the maximum release in the market by underwriting on the grounds of ill-health. The more severe one’s heath the greater the release

Hodge Lifetime

Flexible Drawdown Plan

Hodge have two USP’s. One is the ability to repay upto 10% of the balance each year. The 2nd is you can downsize after 5 years with NO early repayment charges

Today’s range of equity release companies stem from insurance companies to finance houses who have the ability to fund their lifetime mortgage schemes via their annuity books. We still have a mutual society and the remainder are private companies who manage to find funding from business partners.

Whatever the funding source, the current breed of equity release schemes offer the most diverse range of plans and competitive interest rates the equity release market has seen.

If there are any lifetime mortgage plans, old and new that you wish to discuss further, contact mark@equityreleasesupermarket.co.uk or call the Equity Release Supermarket team on 0800 678 5159.

If you are considering taking equity release and early repayment maybe on the horizon, then selecting the right equity release plan is essential to avoid potentially high penalties. Here we illustrate the pitfalls of early repayment of an equity release scheme and what to look out for, if one day you are considering paying off your plan early.

Equity release schemes are in simple terms a mortgage that runs for your lifetime & commonly has NO monthly repayments. The principle reason for the growing popularity behind equity release schemes is that they enable you to free up the equity tied up within the bricks and mortar of your home.

With hindsight, once we all reach retirement age we should all have sufficient income & capital in the bank to meet our retirement objectives. However, such forward planning doesn’t always materialise for one reason or another; ill-health, redundancy or poor investment return can always interrupt anyone’s best laid plans. So what contingency plans can one put in place, or how can one minimise the risk of achieving retirement age without the funds to enjoy the longest holiday of your life?

Equity release schemes

We have witnessed the virtues of equity release mortgages & how they have come to the rescue of many retirees over the past 15 years. However, what can be a life saver initially can become a financial liability in the future unless professional equity release advice is provided by a qualified & experienced lifetime mortgage adviser.

One of the fundamental advances in the emerging equity release market is the protection this industry is now affording to its customers. With FSA (Financial Services Authority) regulation, trade bodies such as the newly formed Equity Release Council (formerly SHIP) & in-built protection features such as the no-negative equity guarantee, equity release clients have never been more re-assured of the improvements in these lifetime mortgages for the over 55’s.

What are the potential pitfalls of equity release schemes?

One area that hasn’t seen much improvement in the equity release marketplace would be the impact of early repayment charges (ERC’s). As equity release providers are lending over a potentially long duration; in some cases in excess of 40 years, they need to set their long term borrowing plans accordingly. Equity release on the face of it may seem very profitable to lenders, however for a large initial outlay it can be many years before they receive their capital & interest in return. To ensure that their profitability & future of the plans remains they must make contingencies in case of early surrender.

Hence, like any mortgage the lender, equity release providers need to include a penalty on early repayment of an equity release plan. To many this would not be seen as an issue as we may have all experienced some form of ERC with our mortgage companies in the past. The difference between residential penalties & equity release penalties are the basis of, the size, & duration that the penalties can be levied over.

What kinds of penalties are charged?

Whereas all residential mortgages charge some form of fixed penalty over a fixed number of years, equity release schemes in general are nothing like. The majority of lenders have now reverted to the old Norwich Union formula of using government gilts as the basis for their early repayment charge. Companies that have now followed suit are Just Retirement, more2life, Partnership, Stonehaven and more recently New Life Mortgages switched from a fixed rate basis onto gilts also.

However, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule who come from the likes of: –

LV= (Liverpool Victoria) – who still use a fixed penalty of 5% of the capital borrowed in the first 5 years to 3% in the next 5 years, then nothing thereafter.

Hodge Lifetime – who use a combination of a fixed rate penalty over 5 years and swap rates which relate to the long term effect of interest rates. However, they do have the advantage that if you move after 5 years, then no ERC’s will apply. Additionally, they permit 10% overpayments each year without penalty.

Is it all gloom and doom?

The answers to this could be both yes and no; depending if you have an existing equity release plan or not.

For equity release customers who took out a gilt related plan in the past it could be bad news. However, remember this is only bad news if you intend to repay early! If you have no intentions of early repayment, then no ERC’s would be applicable. All equity release schemes will NOT apply any penalty on repayment of the equity release due to death or long term care. Additionally, with the Equity Release Council (SHIP) rules in place if you are moving or downsizing you can take your existing scheme with you with no penalty. Equity release schemes have clearly made it known they are a lifetime mortgage. Therefore, the plans are not designed to provide short term borrowings.

You could however hedge your bets on occasions, but as the phase goes…let the buyer beware. For instance, with gilts rates currently at such low levels, unprecedented in the years that equity release has been around, could now be a good time to consider a gilt related equity release plan over the medium term?

The reason for taking out such a plan now would be the fact that these gilt related ERC equity release providers will not levy an ERC should the gilt rate have risen since the mortgage was taken out. In fact companies such as Aviva won’t charge an ERC if the gilt rate remains the same or even falls by a margin of 0.12%.

It is a gamble, as there is still much uncertainty in the economy, but the markets would expect that gilts are sure to go back up in the future when interest rates maybe rise. When though is the golden question.

So, gauging which equity release scheme is the best doesn’t all boil down to interest rates. A combination of assessing your future plans and how much, and when you actually require these funds can be just as important.

Afterall, what is the point of taking out an equity release plan with Aviva an interest rate of 5.66%, when upon early repayment you could be charged an enormous penalty of upto 25% of the amount you originally borrowed! It may be better to pay a slightly higher rate, with the knowledge that you either have no penalty or at least a known penalty from the outset.

Having an experienced equity release adviser is paramount in helping to decide which is the best equity release scheme, for your particular circumstances. By not only looking at your current situation, but also your future plans; your requirements now and also in the future will help your adviser assist in making the right equity release decision for you.

Equity Release Supermarket provide independent equity release advice from the whole of the market. Having the experience of actually working with the likes of Aviva, Prudential, NatWest and Norwich Union, gives our advisers the advantage of knowing the ins and outs of lenders early repayment charges and being able to give quality advice.

Equity release schemes have now been in existence for over 15 years in their current format. Here we answer some common questions such as – ‘Can I get a better interest rate?’ & ‘Can I borrow additional funds? ’.

Equity release schemes allow you to free up some or all of the equity tied up in your property and use the tax free cash for lifestyle reasons. This can be a particularly useful option for those who do not have enough cash flow and own a property, but do not wish to sell it.

If you already have an equity release scheme but for some reason you’re thinking, ‘should I remortgage my equity release?’ it may be worth your while to compare equity release rates & deals to find a more suitable product.

The equity release market is constantly changing, with interest rates rising and falling, and new innovative equity release schemes becoming available all the time. For instance, interest rates at the moment are much lower than they were just a few years back. So if you decide to remortgage your equity release just now, the fall in interest rates could result in significant savings for you over the long term, even when you take into account the setting up costs, which include solicitors fees, application fees etc. Not only that but you may have released all the money from your original plan & now find you require a ‘top-up’ to continue enjoying your retirement.

Why should I review my existing equity release plan?

With equity release schemes becoming increasingly popular, equity release providers are developing new products and schemes all the time. Something that was not an option a few years ago may now have become entirely possible. Therefore, a more suitable and pragmatic product may now be available. This means that by reviewing your existing equity release UK plan and shopping around for new options is a good idea, especially at this point in time.

What should I look out for?

Equity release schemes are defined as a lifetime mortgage. As such all plans have some form of in-build early repayment charge which is differentiated by the company offering the equity release plan. These penalties can exist for a set number of years on a fixed basis, or alternatively they can be linked to an investment such as government gilts or Bank of England base rate.

Particularly government gilts seem to be a favourable barometer used in today’s equity release marketplace. The two largest lifetime mortgage companies – AVIVA & Just Retirement have decided to use them, so you need to be aware of potential back end penalties if the equity release mortgage is paid off early. Other potential suitors such as LV= (Liverpool Victoria) & New Life Mortgages will only charge a fixed percentage penalty over either 5 or 10 years, with no penalty thereafter.

What is the next step?

If you are considering remortgaging your existing equity release scheme you must seek the professional services of an equity release adviser who has the experience of remortgage work. The adviser should be independent, so as to have the whole range of equity release schemes at their disposal. This is important as to remortgage again will incur a new round of equity release set up costs which need to be minimised as much as possible to ensure the new equity release deal is viable.

Before you decide to proceed with an equity release remortgage, it is important to consider several factors.

Remortgaging an existing equity release plan is not just a matter of switching to a new policy.

The following areas all need to be assessed & equity release comparisons made: –

Current value of the property – this may have changed since the original valuation, particularly in light of recent market conditionsAge of the youngest applicant – since the original equity release plan was taken out, you will be older, thus the loan-to-value ratio’s will have increased also meaning you can borrow a higher percentage of the house valueBalance of the existing equity release scheme – this can be based on your last annual statement or by requesting a redemption statement from your lenderWhether any early repayment charges would apply? – this can be ascertained from the redemption statement that should be ordered from your existing lifetime mortgage provider. This figure can be the difference between staying & switching plans dependent & the size & duration thereof.

Upon collating this data your equity release adviser can make an informed decision as to whether to stay put, or it’s in your best interests to switch plans. This is where the adviser’s independence becomes important. With any new equity release application comes a new set of set up costs. However, if your adviser can obtain a free valuation, cashback or any other incentive current available, then this will mitigate some of the new charges & make the whole process more worthwhile.

Professional financial advisers from Equity Release Supermarket will have all these tools at their disposal. With years of practical experience & many advisers having worked at the likes of AVIVA & Prudential, we know how these plans can be remortgaged & transacted quickly & cost effectively. With our current crop of best equity release deals we ever had, now is definitely a good time as any to consider saving yourselves, & your beneficiaries £1000’s by switching your existing equity release plan.

For a FREE no obligation equity release remortgage analysis, please contact the Equity Release Supermarket team on 0800 678 5159.

Alternatively, please complete the ‘find an adviser’ contact form to book an appointment with your local equity release adviser.

Equity Release Supermarket is one of the leading independent, over 55’s equity release specialists who have won awards for quality & impartial advice.

Following in the steps of the Stonehaven Interest Select plan, Hodge Lifetime are launching a new equity release plan with repayment options that include NO early repayment charges.

Previously, only Stonehaven equity release had created a niche in the lifetime mortgage market by offering an interest only lifetime mortgage. Stonehaven allow you the facility to repay the interest charged monthly, thus maintaining a level balance.

However, Hodge Lifetime has now created their own niche product, by offering a roll-up equity release plan with a spin. The unique feature of the plan is the facility of allowing partial repayments of upto 10% per annum with no penalty. This is a first in this previously inflexible early repayment charge equity release UK market.

The Mechanics

The option to repay without penalty applies after the plan has been running for at least 12 months. You then have the possibility of repaying all of the interest & an even an element of capital, if you wish. The minimum repayment is £500.

The major advantage of this lifetime mortgage is that no penalty would apply to this repayment as long as no more than 10% of the initial capital borrowed is repaid.

An example of this would be someone borrowing £25,000 initially. After, 12 months of the plan running they can then repay upto £2,500 each year thereafter. With a launch interest rate of just 6.31% annual equivalent, by paying the full 10% allowance would allow you to repay not only the interest but also the capital. The Hodge Lifetime Plan could then effectively be even used as a form of flexible lifetime repayment mortgage!

Background to Hodge Lifetime

Hodge Lifetime introduced the very first equity release plans in 1965 and have continued to earn a reputation for reliability ever since. Hodge Lifetime is a subsidiary of Julian Hodge Bank and is a founder member of SHIP (Safe Home Income Plans).

Plan Facts

The Hodge Lifetime Lump Sum Lifetime Mortgage allows you to take a single cash lump sum with a fixed interest rate for life. Plans start at age 60 & there is a minimum property value of £100,000 with a £20,000 minimum initial withdrawal limit. The plan is available in England, Wales & mainland Scotland.

Hodge Lifetime’s standard early repayment charges only apply for the first 5 years on a 5,4,3,2,1 basis. There is also an additional potential variable repayment charge dependent upon the movement in 25 year interest rate swap rates.

However, this variable penalty will be waived after 5 years. This ‘Downsizing Protection’ feature allows you to repay the Hodge Equity Release Plan with NO penalty if you move home after 5 years.

However, the main focus surely on the Hodge Lifetime Lump Sum equity release plan will be possibility of repayment the interest with a choice of when & how much.

No other equity release schemes provider will permit this at present with so much flexibility. Hodge will allow two payments per annum subject to the 10% maximum repayment & no penalty.

Who Would the Repayment Facility Benefit?

People who maybe wish to inhibit the traditional roll-up effect of their equity release plan would find the Hodge Lifetime plan of benefit.

Those unable to commit to a fixed monthly repayment as their preferred choice would be to make ad-hoc repayments once a cash sum has been saved.
People who may receive an unexpected windfall in the future
Parents who may wish to gift to their children for financial reasons (e.g. house purchase) knowing they will be repaid over a future term
Those at Pre-state pension age, need a capital lump sum now, but may wish to repay chunks back in the future from their extra income
The list could go on…

What to do next…

If you have been dissuaded by equity release early repayment charges in the past, then take a close look at this exciting new plan from Hodge Lifetime. The ability to repay 10% off the balance each year with NO penalty is unique.

With an opening offer of a reduced valuation fee of £99 for property values upto £350,000, this certainly looks likely to follow hot on the heels of Stonehaven’s Interest Select Plan.

News had it that 2012 was going to be a breakthrough year for the Equity Release Market. Today this statement was confirmed.

The first sub 6% annual interest rate for over 5 years will have a major impact on the equity release market & confidence in general.

Ironically enough, this followed news earlier in the day from Just Retirement that it had just reduced its own rate in reaction to Aviva’s a week earlier. The new Just Retirement rate of 6.15% pa was considered extremely competitive until Aviva gatecrashed their party later on in the day.

Today’s groundbreaking news on the Aviva Lifestyle Flexi plan has come hot on the heals of my previous news items of 27th January & 30th January in announcing earlier Aviva and LV= rate reductions.

So why is there such an equity release interest rate war currently?

We need to look at the market as whole, the recent economic factors & how these companies are funded.

Both Aviva & Just Retirement are big annuity providers & companies with the backing of annuities have been able to ride the storm, ever since the credit crunch began a few years ago. You may be aware that most equity release companies with bank funding such as Saffron, Coventry Building Society & Hodge Lifetime to some degree, have dropped out of the market. Longer term funding has been an issue for them.

However, this doesn’t answer the whole story, so lets look a bit deeper…

We have mentioned the credit crunch. It is evident first hand from our Equity Release Supermarket data that a significant element of equity release loans are for financial, rather than lifestyle factors. This means there is a greater emphasis on ‘need’ rather than ‘wants’.

Retirees in general are finding retirement a financial struggle in trying to make ends meet. Overall attitude towards retirement & their legacies has also changed over the years with a more ‘live for today’ motto. With drawdown equity release plans becoming increasingly popular, this lends true to our analysis.

People are taking just enough for today to clear debts, help the kids & have a small amount behind them to provide that ‘cushion’ that provides them with a feel good factor.

In addition to the great news on their lowest interest rate for years, now is as good time as any to take out an Aviva Equity Release Plan. With both a £500 cashback & free valuation offer, the net set up costs for an equity release application are now minimal. With Equity Release Supermarket’s advice fee being lower than its major competitors, then now is the time to seriously considering taking out an equity release plan with Equity Release Supermarket, if you have strong intentions to do so anyway.

Early Repayment Advantages with Aviva

With GILT rates at a current all time low, it would also favour equity release lenders who use gilts to govern their early repayment charges. Aviva use an individual government gilt to measure whether a future early repayment charge will apply. The yield of this gilt is noted on the day the equity release plan starts. Upon redemption, the yield is noted at that point & gauged to see whether it has it increased or fallen during that period.

Should the gilt yield have increased or stayed the same then NO penalty will apply. Aviva will even permit a reduction of 0.12 basis points before even applying a penalty. Therefore, with gilt rates currently being so low, there is less likelihood of the yields falling today than ever previously. However, this cannot be guaranteed & if you are considering early repayment then please speak to our team of advisers first.

With a national team of equity release advisers who can provide both face-to-face & phone based financial advice, we are only a telephone call away from offering you a market leading equity release deal.

If you would like to take advantage of a free initial consultation regarding the Aviva or any other equity release mortgage, please call the Equity Release Supermarket team on 0800 678 5159 or email mark@equityreleasesupermarket.co.uk

The amount of equity you own is the term used to describe the value of a home less any mortgage or secured pending on it. Equity release allows you to free up this money tied up within your home.

The equity release process will allow you to receive a tax free, lump sum of capital allowing you to spend it in whatever way that you choose.

An obvious disadvantage is that you will not be able to hand down all of your property to your offspring. Nevertheless, you do get to live out the remainder of your life in your home, rent free or till you move into elderly care.

If you are considering an equity release scheme, the best way to get started would be to approach an expert. Some organisations which provide equity release schemes also provide a free consultation, so remember to take advantage of their services. Some research of the advisor would be of benefit as they must be regulated by the FSA (Financial Services Authority) & have an individual registration number with them. The equity release adviser should therefore be found on the FSA website register.

Ensure they are independent, which means they are free to deal with ANY equity release provider in the market. So ask. Some companies purport to be whole of market, however upon closer analysis they only deal with a handful of companies. You may therefore be missing out on a beneficial feature of an equity release scheme that they do not have available. This could save you £1000’s in the long run & could prove costly if the wrong equity release plan was chosen.

Your advisor will let you in on all the vital details regarding the procedure. This will be after the equity release adviser has collated all the necessary facts regarding one’s current situation. Guarded with this information, & any soft facts provided such as ‘how important is that you leave part or all of your property to your beneficiaries?’ will be asked. Also income & whether you are in receipt of means tested benefits is important as this will reflect on which equity release schemes are advised upon. The equity release consultant can then document & record this stage of the lifetime mortgage process.
Once an accurate financial picture has been ascertained & observed the clients objectives, the equity release adviser can then discuss the mortgage options available. These would include an explanation of the various schemes available to suit. Included in this would be roll-up equity release schemes, home reversion plans & interest only lifetime mortgages such as the Halifax Retirement Home Plan or the Stonehaven Interest Select.

You do not have to give them an instant decision; after all, going for an equity release scheme is a big decision and something which should not be rushed into.

Upon presentation of the equity release advisers recommendations a Key Facts Illustration must be offered to you. This would include a summary of the scheme in principle, costs & charges, future balance & the commission payable by the lifetime mortgage providers. This is quite a comprehensive overview of the scheme & covers the finer details, as well as the main features, such as the no negative equity guarantee & early repayment charges etc.

Once you have made your decision, all you have to do is simply call your advisor and give them the go ahead. They will have all your paperwork taken care of, contact your solicitor and keep you updated about everything, right to the time that you get your money released.

A professional & courteous adviser will confirm the funds have been released & offer any after care service in the future; for example when additional funds are required such as on a drawdown equity release scheme.

As a company Equity Release Supermarket keep contact with its clients to advise on new products & interest rates in the future as it is important to keep abreast of the market as & when more competitive products become available.

Independent & award winning equity release specialist Equity Release Supermarket offer all the above benefits & quality of service that the testimonials at the bottom of the home page illustrate.

To discuss your options in the release of equity from your property call freephone 0800 678 5159 today or alternatively complete our contact form & one of our advisers will be in touch